For Once
by There'sAlwaysAnException
Summary: Percy Jackson is utterly untouchable. He walks the halls of Goode High and streets of New York like a god. His aura sucks people in and sends them running the other way just as quick. Percy is the modern day equivalent of a saint, and no one dares to touch him in fear of tainting his pure soul. That is until Annabeth Chase transfers, and finds out that they're already too late AU
1. Chapter 1

Percy Jackson is utterly untouchable. He walks the halls of Goode High School like a god. His aura grabs people in, and sends them running the other way just as quick. Percy Jackson is the modern day equivalent of a saint, and no one dares to taint him. That is, until Annabeth Chase transfers to New York. She is the only person who sees the seething blackness in the center of the pure blinding light of his soul. AU.

Percy Jackson was absolutely positive that he was the clumsiest person in all of New York. In a city where masses of people walked in unison with complete practiced ease and self-assured purpose; the weak were trampled. Unfortunately for Percy, he was anything but graceful and driven by purpose. He learned the hard way that aimlessly walking on main streets ended with bruises. And don't even get him started on trying to take a jog. He still had frightening flashbacks of being surrounded by expressionless faces as he was harshly guided and stripped of all control and sense of direction...

The point being, Percy learned his lesson. He had taken to traveling through alleys and back roads that avoided Manhattan's attractions and businesses. He knew the city like the back of his hand.

In those secluded sidewalks was where Percy was now. He climbed out of his self-deprecating thoughts to deal with his current situation.

"Sorry!", he blurted automatically to the latest victim of his clumsiness.

He looked down at the blond girl sprawled out on the concrete with concern. She didn't look injured to him. Her gigantic and thick winter coat had probably absorbed most of the impact. She was laid out flat, arms splayed out from her cartoonish attempt to catch herself. She was resting the back of her head against the ground, with her shining blond hair flared out around her head, like a halo. She stared up at him with perplexed eyebrows, eyes bulging out in indignant disbelief. Her mouth was open in shock, her chest rising and falling rapidly. Her breathing was hitched due to the cold and the little clouds from her exhales were appearing and disappearing in rapid succession.

"How did you even _manage _to do that!?", she sputtered out, trying to catch her breath.

She was starting to overcome her shock as she evaluated the most reckless runner she had ever encountered. She had been leisurely walking, admittedly not paying much attention to her surroundings, as she took the new city in. The next thing she knew, the guy who had been running to the direction of her left was suddenly in front of her. Then approximately 6 feet above her as she found herself looking up at him. From the very hard ground.

"S-sorry", he offered again. He is such an idiot.

"It was an accident", he tried to explain. His ears were rushing with blood, embarrassment tinting his sight. He ran his hand through his hair bashfully. Was there anything he couldn't mess up?

This time he remembered the manners his mother taught him. He held out a hand to help her up. She had been scrutinizing him with suspicious eyebrows. That was when he noticed her eyes. He couldn't believe he hadn't noticed them before. They were a startling grey, contrasting beautifully with her tan skin and golden curls. The grey shone as fiercely as silver, making a chill travel up his spine. Her flawless skin was flushed, most noticeably in the curves of her cheeks and the tip of her nose. He briefly processed how beautiful her voice was, even when enriched in anger at him. He drowned out the thought that he had just bulldozed an angel. His ADHD brain was taking in every detail of her as he simultaneously wondered where she was from. No one in New York had a tan like that. And he had especially never met someone with eyes like hers. He felt like she was looking through him, reading his mind and digging through his past.

He looked away.

Annabeth was absolutely positive that she had just been run over by the most beautiful person in all of New York. What started out as an assessment of the guy who ran her over, to see if he was a threat, soon became a selfish examination. From what she could see past his jogging gear of a sweatshirt and sweatpants, he was in shape. His broad shoulders tapered down to his trim waist in a triangular shoulder-hip ratio that was entirely unfair. He had perfectly tousled black hair that clearly came naturally, even when sweaty from his run. He had a deliciously sculpted jaw that complemented his angular greek nose. His pouty red lips contrasted beautifully with his slightly olive-toned skin. He was anything but threatening. His whole face was pinched in concern as he looked down at her, assessing her for injuries, lingering a little too long on her face. She felt guilty as her outburst caused him to physically recoil and stutter out another apology. But what really caught her attention, were his eyes. They were the most vibrant blues and greens that she had ever witnessed. Not even the ocean could compete with the lively depths of his irises. She was utterly entranced, as they seemed to swirl, pulling her in. Then he directed his eyes away from her own, and she was once again aware of the cold around her and the ground beneath her. She then noticed his outstretched hand, probably offered to her a long time ago, but she was too enamored with his looks to notice. She blushed and took his hand.

He was startled out of the recesses of his mind as he was reminded that he had been standing there with his hand out the entire time. He felt like a complete dumbass, awkwardly standing over a girl he had just pushed to the ground. What was wrong with him? He heaved her to her feet, not really noticing that her face was even redder than before.

"Thanks", she said, as she was finally off the ground.

She found herself face to chest with her… her what? Attacker? She was suddenly burning with the need to know his name. She looked up into his eyes again.

"What's your-"

"I'm really s-"

They had both started talking at the same time. They simultaneously blushed as they exchanged embarrassed smiles.

"Anyways", she started once it was apparent that he wasn't going to speak first. "I was trying to ask what your name was".

"I'm Percy", Percy replied hesitantly. His eyebrows creased in confusion. Why would she want to know his name after he just assaulted her.

"I'm Annabeth", Annabeth answered, even though he didn't ask. She was used to taking charge.

"Well, Annabeth", he began, testing her name out on his tongue. He wouldn't have expected anything less than a completely unique name for a completely unique person. "For what it's worth, I am really sorry about running into you"

"Yeah, I got that", she replied dryly. "Now _How_ exactly did you run into me" "Percy", she tacked on, following the same thought process as him.

"Well, I-I…", he stuttered _again_. He flushed _again_.

"I kind of just remembered that I forgot my mom's birthday", he finally explained. He mentally added another _again_ to the end of his sentence. Annabeth doesn't want to know about his problems.

"And that caused you to _lunge_ at me?", she asked teasingly. She was enjoying his discomfort way too much. Her tone was devoid of menace and she was smiling at him, but he still flinched back.

"Sorry", he whispered, his head drooping down to stare at his shoes.

"You can stop apologizing", she assured him. She didn't want to see that dejected look on his face ever again.

"Sorry", he said again, reflexively. He was used to blaming himself.

She sighed

"Sorry", he said again, for causing her more distress. He still hadn't looked away from his shoes. He doesn't understand why she hasn't left yet. He's done nothing but spoil her day.

"Percy", she said quietly. He looked back up at her then. "I forgive you"

He was about to apologize to her again, just for good measure, but didn't get the chance. She had covered his mouth with her hand, effectively preventing him from saying that word again. He stared at her with wide eyes, awaiting her next words.

"New Rule", she said to him, looking weightily into his eyes. "No more apologizing to me"

He nodded mutely, her hand moving with him. With her grey eyes piercing through his, he would have agreed to anything she said. She dropped her hand. He immediately misses the warmth of her palm, and she immediately misses the softness of his lips pressed against her hand.

She clears her throat.

"Do you need to get her a present?", Annabeth asks, taking hold of the conversation again.

"What?", he replies dumbly.

"Your mom", she reminds him. She gets the impression that he forgets things often.

"Oh-oh right", he says, remembering why they were both here right now. He then remembers that she asked him a question. "I do. Need to get her a present, I mean"

She nods thoughtfully.

"Do you need help?", she offers.

She doesn't fully understand why she wants to help him so bad. He was like a magnet, pulling her in, with his eyes, and everything else about him. It may be because she finds him attractive, but she knows it's mostly because she genuinely wants to get to know him better. What causes someone to feel the need to apologize so much? He seemed to feel repentant for simply existing, and it made her heart contract painfully to think that someone would feel that way.

"Do you mean-like...you… _you_ would help _me_", he says in disbelief. "After I just charged you to the ground?"

He couldn't seem to be able to get over hurting her. He refused to grasp the idea of someone wanting to help him. Spend time with him even.

"It's not like you actually _hurt_ me", she tries to reassure him.

He doesn't look convinced. He's looking away from her again. She stops a sigh from escaping her mouth, and tries a different approach.

"Besides, while we're shopping, you can buy me some coffee; if it'll make you feel any better"

He perks up at that.

"I think that can be arranged", he agrees. He congratulates himself on not stumbling over his words this time.

"The mall?", she suggests. He readily accepts her choice. As she turns around and heads toward the main streets, he follows her. It's a bit concerning how easily he relinquishes control. She then realizes a very crucial detail.

"Percy", she says, grabbing the attention of the boy following her.

"Hmm?", he asks, looking towards her.

"Where's the mall?", she asks innocently. He stares blankly at her for a second.

"You don't know where the mall is?", his voice heightened in mock horror.

"I'm from San Francisco. I just moved here last week", she reveals.

Percy's suspicions are verified. That's one mystery solved. Now if she could just answer the mystery of why she's wasting her time with him.

"Umm, well… welcome to New York", he says in a small voice, spreading out his arms unimpressively.

And she bursts out laughing because their situation was not anything she could have imagined when she thought about New York. The cute boy, sure. The cute boy literally running into her, and landing her on her ass; not so much. Going with said cute boy to buy his mom a birthday present, as he welcomes her to his city like he just did; the most surreal joke ever. And soon he's laughing with her because he finds her laughter infectious. And soon she's laughing hysterically because his laugh is the most beautiful sound she has ever heard, and she can't deal with that right now.


	2. Chapter 2

Annabeth was absolutely positive that Percy was the biggest momma's boy in all of New York. Although far from Oedipal, it was still slightly concerning. The entire walk to the mall was filled up with Annabeth asking questions about Sally, and Percy going above and beyond in answering each one as if he was making a sales pitch.

"_How old is she?"_

"_Well she's 38, but she really doesn't look it! You would probably think she was 30. Or 28! And she's very active for her age, she works 9 to 5, six days a week at the candy shop. Maybe even mid-twenties!"_

It was admittedly adorable how he praised his mom. His eyes lit up as he talked and he smiled unabashedly and so carefree. He kind of reminded her of her little brothers in that aspect. And before she could stop it, the flood of thoughts and emotions that she had repressed were rushing to the forefront of her mind like tainted water from a bursted dam. She had wanted to avoid thinking about her past life in San Francisco for as long as possible. Now was not the time. She needed to be alone for this, safe in her bed, under her blanket. But she couldn't stop it. The cool burning of guilt threatened to swallow her stomach as the memory of her father's face when she told him she wanted to move in with her mother, appeared in her mind; Summoned by that little part of her that liked to watch herself suffer. She saw his face crumble with self-recrimination. She almost wanted to yell at him, then. Tell him the truth about his wife. To tell him that it wasn't his fault.

Almost.

Because it was his fault. Because he married her. Because he chose now to take a look at himself. He chose the time when he was already too late, to decide that he wanted to change. She hated him a little him for making her feel guilty. And she hated herself for hating him then, because kids shouldn't hate their parents. But everything was so jumbled in her mind. Her feelings for him perpetually flipping, ripping and fixing. There was no black and white, no love or hate. It was a mixture, a flammable concoction that just needed a little spark to catch. Or a little solvent to dilute it into something she could swallow.

She remembered the faux sad face of her stepmother. She gasped and frowned pitifully at all the right times. It was enough to convince her dad as he took her hand in a display of mutual comfort. But all Annabeth saw was her mentally mapping out her plans to renovate her bedroom.

She saw the confused faces of her naive little brothers as they stared up at her.

_Why are you leaving? / We're sorry!_

_Don't go! / We don't want you to go!_

_We'll leave you alone or… / or we could… we can…_

They pleaded with her in that completely unguarded childish tone. Their blatant emotions laid out like that almost made her change her mind.

Almost.

They would understand eventually. Soon they will find out that your emotions and your mouth need to be disconnected. They'll learn how to build up their filters. Filters so strong that they themselves won't even be able to decipher the truth. But they'll probably never fully understand why she needed to leave. She told everyone it was because of the amazing career opportunities available in New York for an architect, and that was a big part of it. But it was also the burning need to get out of that house. It was a horribly torturing feeling to know that you were unwanted. To feel the tension in every interaction with her stepmother. An unspoken contempt that bled into your psyche whenever you were alone and tired of the rebellious teenager persona. Of pretending that it was her own fault, and as a teenager to her stepmother's adult, that she was in the wrong. It wasn't supposed to be like this. She shouldn't feel a forcefield around her own house. Around her own father.

She struggled to take the reins of her thoughts. As she looked over at Percy though, it became suddenly very easy.

In that moment in time, his body language screamed pure happiness and excitement. His head was held high and his shoulders straight. He looked her in the eyes and undauntedly expressed his thoughts and feelings with his body. He looked emotionally light and his skin appeared to be glowing. At times she swore she could almost see a shimmering brightness emitting from his person. She was sure that was just her imagination, though. She had also never considered herself an empath before, but she found herself feeling positively buoyant just being near him, then. She felt content and safe with this wonderful stranger. The snow was falling lightly and beautifully like in the movies, and the lights of New York sparkled through the laughter induced tears in her eyes. Everything was perfect.

And then she fucked it up.

Percy had just finished telling a story about a vacation to a beach house in Montauk when she made the mistake of asking the horrid question. Laughter had just subsided and their faces were hurting from all the smiling. She just had to ruin it by asking...

"So, what about your dad?", having no idea what kind of emotional storm she would generate inside Percy with those simple words.

His smile instantly dropped. His eyes dropped. His shoulders drooped. His entire body seemed to deflate and the easy confident grace he previously possessed, disappeared. He reverted back to the nervous mess he had been when she first met him. He seemed to not be able to control his hands as they played with the edges of his sweater and then dove into his pockets. He repeated these actions while he looked anywhere but at her. She was about to take it back, tell him it didn't matter.

But that wasn't what he needed.

Those words snapped him out of it. What was he doing? He knew how it would all turn out. How could he think that he could talk to her like that, sharing every single thought that flew through his stupid brain? He was just so caught up in it. Being able to talk to another human being, past pleasantries. He bared himself. How could he let that happen? He knows what comes next. Had known it for as long as he could remember. Why would he think for one second that this would be any different. That she would be different. He had to stop right now before the inevitable. Before he got attached.

"You're drooling", she told him.

And it was too late.


	3. Chapter 3

Percy Jackson was absolutely positive that he was the worst son in all of New York. It's not that he didn't know what to get his mom, that part was easy. It was just that nothing seemed good enough for her. He thought she deserved the world, and he wished more than anything that he was able give it to her. She had always been happy with his previous gifts, he knew. But that was more a testament to the kind of person she was than his gift giving skills.

He sighs loudly, and instantly berates himself for it. This was for his mom. She was never a chore.

As he looked through what must have been the fiftieth store they've been to, he can instinctively feel Annabeth's frustration, like a familiar tickling in his gut.

He's used to those kinds of emotions directed at him. At least, that's what he interprets them as.

He fights the familiar response to flee. Fight or flight didn't seem like an appropriate state of mind when out shopping with a pretty girl. But talking to her seemed like a type of fight. One that was all mental, which he didn't consider his strong suit.

"You really don't have to do this", he says, approaching her like a wild animal.

He knows that she only offered assistance out of politeness, and that he never should have accepted it.

He fails to recall the fact that she had actually had to convince him to let her help.

He has a pretty bad habit of forgetting things like that.

He hopes that she'll listen this time.

She doesn't.

"I've figured that out for myself, believe it or not." she replies from behind a rack of coats.

She finds it very easy to be sassy when she doesn't have to look into those eyes of his.

Control during dark times like these is what keeps her going.

Mmmm... sweet self-reflection to match.

This is a good day.

He had been saying things along those lines for like an hour now. Every single time they entered a different store, he took it upon himself to offer her an out. She was careful to hide any kind of frustration she may be feeling. But the only cause of her frustration was his conviction that she should feel frustrated. She was honestly enjoying feeling like a normal teenager for once. She honestly can't recall a time where she simply went to the mall without a set time restraint and agenda. Or had genuinely pleasant human interaction, really. Maybe she was hiding under the guise of study and architecture to avoid rejection. Maybe living with her step-mother for as long as she had, had affected her more than she thought. Today is just the day for psycho-analyzation, it seems.

She also found great enjoyment in watching him fret and tut over the merchandise. Occasionally offering up little gems like 'A _pantsuit _Percy? Do you _honestly_ think your mom wants a _pantsuit_?' She was certain that he didn't even know he had spoken out loud, so she treasured them all the more.

And maybe she was living vicariously through him, soaking in secondhand affection.

Maybe imagining a life where she could feel that close to her own mom.

And maybe she just liked looking at him.

Maybe.

"I mean... ", he struggles to find the right words.

"I don't think you want to be here", he decides is a good start.

"And I don't want you to feel obligated to stay", he says in a rushed breath.

She takes a long look at him.

Her eyebrows are scrunched together tightly, almost touching.

He fails to read her expression as concern.

He has a pretty bad habit of missing things like that.

She is quickly running out of approaches to assuage his never ending guilt.

"Do I honestly strike you as someone who does things she doesn't want to do, out of _obligation_?", she finally says.

She feels very proud of herself.

It's a trick question.

She's tricked him.

Ha.

"N-NO, I mean… no?", he offers cautiously. He honestly thought he was over the stuttering.

She pities him for a second.

She refrains from patting him on the head and saying something extremely patronizing.

A "Good boy", escapes the damaged wasteland of her mind through her mouth before she's even fully processed it.

Oop…

He looks adorably confuzzled by her praise; praise more befitting of a dog.

He honestly doesn't know if he should be offended or not.

He also doesn't know that she thinks his expression very much resembles a dog.

He really should be offended.

And as he decides that the comment was harmless and sends a warm smile her way, it's suddenly not very funny at all. In what universe would _'Good boy' _even be remotely accepted as earnest praise. Why would he take that from her? How does that not register as emotionally abusive to him? And suddenly that feeling in her gut is back. She feels the need to protect him, like he was a helpless little puppy that followed strangers around in a search of a home. A puppy that's been abandoned and has long since learned that chasing after affection only gets him kicked.

She really needs to stop comparing him to a dog.

She really likes dogs.

It's only six stores later when he finally finds something slightly acceptable.

It's an intricate cookbook that encourages innovations to it's recipes.

It's neat, helpful, and slightly self deprecating.

For some reason, it appeals to him.

He writes it off as the blue cover.

He's always liked blue.

Yeah, that's it.

…

A/N: There's honestly no consistency in any field of my writing. I'm experimenting with the style. And updates are made on a whim. Sorry 'bout that. The grammar is pretty stellar, though. You're welcome for that, at least.


	4. Chapter 4

Annabeth was absolutely positive that Percy Jackson was not a real person.

It wasn't how he looked, exactly. It was more in the way that she couldn't picture him harming another person, ever. It was in the way that every person he smiled at, instantly brightened. It was in the way that he touched people so effortlessly, and in the way that he seemed to visibly shine when he did. It was basically how he looked, actually. He was a very pretty, shiny boy.

She looks over at him, and remembers the inspiration for her train of thought.

They had decided to buy some ice dream in celebration of finding his mom a present. Unsurprisingly, he had gone for the blueberry sherbert on the largest cone. Also unsurprisingly, he had refused to let Annabeth pay for her vanilla in a cup. Despite her pride, she had actually let him buy it for her. Maybe it was because she knew he still felt guilty. Or maybe it was just because he was different, and seemed wholly incapable of offending anybody.

After the awkward dance of paying for the ice cream, where the desserts and cash were exchanged through far too many hands, they had taken a seat at a table for two. It was an intimate choice for two people who just met that morning, but they did it seamlessly. She feels like she's known him for much longer than she really has.

With an awkward silence where they simultaneously pretended to be fully invested in eating, the conversation turned to school. And along with that came the realization that she would be attending Percy's high school, Goode High.

Because of course she would.

She was hopelessly entertwined and this was starting to feel more and more like a date. And she began to internally freak out about how much she didn't know about this guy, when the bell above the door chimed.

And then there was a little girl in the shop. She walked towards the display and seemingly found what she wanted. And then she waited. A few seconds later a woman came bursting in and fussed over the little girl. But she still kept her eyes on the prize. The woman's face was pained as she understood the situation her daughter had craftily put her in. Annabeth saw something in the corner of her eye. Percy had nodded at the girl behind the counter and she had nodded back. Before the mom could even open her mouth to voice the denial she dreaded giving, she was reaching into the tub that the little girl had been looking at, and handing it to her on a cone. And it all happened so fast, and Annabeth was at a complete lost. The woman was trying to tell the server that she couldn't pay for it, and Percy was suddenly up at the counter offering up money from his pockets, and Annabeth understood.

He'd done this before. This is something that he does. He knows that girl behind the counter. He has probably done this enough times to be acquainted with the entire staff. So acquainted in fact, that they can communicate with each other in a series of gestures. And she felt ridiculous for freaking out about not knowing everything about him. Because this was all she really needed to know.

And then he was smiling at the mom and there was something so beautiful and intimate there that Annabeth could not even hope to understand.

She looked away.

As he came back to the table, he was smiling shyly. She had not asked why he did it, but he answered anyway. He said that the family reminded him of his mom and him. And it's not a lie, she can tell, but it's not the whole truth. But if he doesn't want to admit his philanthropic hobbies, she wouldn't force him.

And now the ice cream is gone but she is still frozen. She is looking at him intently, but he is looking at the people around them. Mainly the little girl and her mom, who are seated close by. And he smiles at the little girl and she smiles back and the world around Annabeth is insanely bright and suffocatingly beautiful.

Annabeth starts choking.

And then he's looking at her with that goddamn concerned look on his stupidly perfect face.

And air is suddenly even farther out of her reach.

And then he's shouting to the girl behind the counter for water, because he doesn't understand.

She doesn't need water.

She needed this scary new world that she had just discovered with him, to go away.

To be completely gone, and out of her memory.

Or to never go away, and be with her forever.

Both options completely terrify her.

And she needs some fucking air, right now.

And finally her lungs start obeying her, and she decides she needs to test the rest of her body.

By getting the hell out of there.

But he's standing over her with a cup of water, pleadingly but still giving her space to breath. And she almost chokes again. He is too much. She couldn't handle the innate goodness and selflessness that was him. He was too good for this world, and especially for her. She makes a decision.

She stands up abruptly.

"I need to go", she wheezes out, not daring to elaborate.

Either because she doesn't have enough breath yet, or because she has no idea where she was going, she decides not to dwell on.

He raises his eyebrows for a second, and then he searches her face.

Then he's nodding.

He's nodding like he had been expecting this all along.

And maybe he has.

And he just keeps nodding like this happens all the time.

Like this is something that makes sense to him, when she has no idea what anything means anymore.

Like he deserves this.

Her heart is doing that painful contraction thing that had never happened before she met him.

And she can't look away from his eyes, which are turning from magnets into fortresses before her very own.

"It was nice talking to you", he says, so completely resigned to what is happening.

And all Annabeth can think is _What is happening?_

But his words break her, and she gives in.

Gives in to what, she doesn't know.

But she knows she made the right choice when she sits down again, and sees the utmost surprised look on his dorkily gorgeous face.

He doesn't ask for an explanation for her erratic behavior, and for that, she is eternally grateful.

And then he's sitting across from her and beaming his face off.

And her face does the same without her consent.

And the pain in her chest is so worth it.


	5. Chapter 5

Percy was absolutely positive that Annabeth was a nerd.

He didn't see anything wrong with that of course, but it was unexpected nonetheless. It was actually endearing. She had the looks, the brains, the sense of humor, the empathic tendencies, the self motivation, the quick wit and sharp tongue, the calm disposition, the makings of a true leader… well he made his point. Annabeth was damn near perfect, so it was nice to see proof that she was still only human.

Leaving the mall, it became startlingly clear once she became comfortable enough with him. Now that she felt she could talk freely, she talked endlessly. And smartily… smartly? Either way, half of everything she said went completely over his head.

But he reveled in the gleam she would get in her eyes when she talked about something she was passionate about. Namely architecture.

He had never seen anyone so passionate about anything.

It was refreshing.

It was... intimidating.

So intimidating in fact, that he found himself actually _learning _things. Like, for example, how very essential the buttress is to the support of a cathedral.

He took the opportunity to sneak in a joke about other essentials involving buttresses.

With his ass sticking out towards her, he looked over his shoulder and caught her eyes as she laughed.

The sound was loud and abrupt, which told him she was completely caught off guard.

Passers-by whipped their heads towards the noise and Annabeth glared at Percy.

Well, as well as she could glare while forcing down a smile.

A bonus came in the form of the warmth in her eyes as she shook her head.

And in the slight tremor in her shoulders as she held more laughter in, refusing to give him the satisfaction of making her laugh any longer than she already had.

His new life goal then on became the pursuit of making Annabeth Chase laugh. And say what you want about his work ethic, but so far, he's completed all of his goals. And whether it was becoming a national champion in swimming, or coercing laugh out of a pretty girl, Percy Jackson gets shit done.

From there, as they say, it all went downhill.

"Architecture? More like archi-_torture_!"

"Am I right?"

"_"

"Hey Annabeth, what do you call two victorian era doorways that hate each other?"

"_"

"... _arch enemies_…"

"_"

"Hey Annabeth!"

"_"

"Am I archi-_testing_-ur-_patience_?"

"_"

"Hey Annabeth"

"Annabeth…?"

"What!"

"I love your archi-_texture_", he said as he softly ran his hand across the arm of her winter coat.

By then she couldn't hold it in anymore and finally laughed.

Against her will, she gave him the one laugh.

It was music to his ears, and fuel to his ego.

Percy threw his fist in the air in triumph, with such dramatic flair that people turned their heads towards them once again.

She quickly shoveled up some snow and threw it at him.

"Calm down, you dork…", she told him, with much more affection than she intended.

"I knew I could get you to laugh again", he stated smugly, wiping the snow off from his sweater.

The second she looks away from him, a perfect snowball hits her right in the stomach. Her facial expression sets him off on a peel of laughter. Without missing a beat, she has more snow in her hands as she lunges towards him, more as a threat than a preparation. His eyes widen as he throws his hands up in surrender. He only drops his hands once she has dropped the snow at his feet.

"Just take me home, you idiot", she said, looping her arm through his to take the sting off her words.

Against his better judgement, his body still tensed at hearing the name.

'Idiot'

It was one of many he had been been taught to associate himself with.

Though a fairly innocent insult, to him, it meant pain.

The same went for the simple gesture of putting her arm through his.

It was one of the words that signalled him to brace for an incoming attack.

It triggered every feeling he had during those student teacher conferences, where he was told he wasn't good enough.

"Percy?', Annabeth asks worriedly, slowly taking her arm back away.

He snaps his head sharply towards her voice, and he gasps as if he'd just broached the surface after being under water.

"Hmmm?", he replies casually, forcing a small smile.

"Nothing. You just kind of… zoned out for a second", she says mildly, trying to convince him that she didn't notice anything unusual.

He just shrugs his shoulders, and takes her arm like she did to him. It effectively stops the conversation, and he is grateful for that. He hopes she'll just forget about what she just saw.

"Off we go", Percy half-sings as he begins to lead them forward again.

"Percy?"

"Yes?", he asks, trying not to sound as scared of her question as he is.

He didn't know how he would respond to a question about his little episode. It was bad enough that he stayed up most nights plagued by nightmares and clutching at wounds that had long since healed. He didn't need to add panic attacks anytime someone says certain words or uses a certain tone of voice. He was really enjoying being with Annabeth too. This was the most fun he'd had with someone, other than his mom, in a long time. But he knew he would never be capable of fully explain it to her. Why he is broken, or even explain why he can't tell her. They always push for the answers. He knows they just want to understand, so they can help him. But it doesn't work that way. And they quickly, so amazingly swiftly, stop pushing him. Stop questioning him. Stop talking to him. Just like that.

"My house is that way", she informs him, pointing to the right.

"Right. I knew that", he says while stopping. He is such an idiot.

"I'd rather you didn't actually. That would be creepy", she quips.

He lets out a quick jarring laugh, more out of relief than offense.

If she is startled by the outburst, she doesn't show it.

She takes the lead again, as is becoming the norm between them.

He could get used to this.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: I'd recommend listening to Youth Lagoon while reading. Just cuz' i listened to it while writing. P.s. I am very sorry for the wait.

Annabeth Chase was absolutely positive that Percy Jackson was the most popular student at Goode High.

And though it seemed stereotypical and almost archaic in the way it was immensely overdone, it wasn't any less true. It became apparent to her when they arrived at school together, since he obviously insisted on giving her a ride and showing her around the unfamiliar school.

Honestly, who does that?

The ride to school had been interesting to say the least. As it turns out, Percy's stepdad was a teacher at their school, and they commuted together. Walking out her door to greet the mysterious boy she met yesterday, her stride was a little broken seeing him in the back seat of a blue prius, with a middle aged man driving. And then she remembered that the boy was Percy, and mysterious was no way to describe him. He waved at her excitedly through the window, and Annabeth was struck with a strong fondness that had no place warming her chest like it was.

As odd as it sounds, she felt like she had known Percy all her life. And if it was anyone but herself saying this about anyone but Percy, she would roll her eyes, but it was, so she smiled. And as he popped out of the car to open the door for her, she was dismayed to find that she really had no control over herself. In the backseat, he introduces her to Paul, and Paul sighs and tells her that it would be best to call him Mr. Blofis at school. But Percy bumps her knee with his and shakes his head, a mischievous twinkle in his eye. Paul sees it and huffs, but Annabeth knows that the same fondness is warming him too. And as they drive off in comfortable silence, Percy keeps his leg next to hers, brushing it everytime he jiggles it in hyperactivity.

But nothing prepared her for the phenomenon she would witness next. As they walked through the campus of Goode High, there wasn't a single person they walked by, that did not greet him. They all smiled, waved, or said something along the lines of "Hey Percy/What's up Perce?"

It was unsettling to say the least.

But Percy didn't seem to find anything wrong with the display as he politely smiled and waved and nodded back to every single person.

It was surreal.

Back in San Francisco, most kids barely arrived on time, let alone with enough time and energy to stand around socializing. Annabeth wasn't quite yet sure which she preferred.

And even weirder still, was the fact that no one really payed that much attention to her. You would think someone like Percy taking her to school would create some kind of curious scuttlebutt. It only took one girl asking "Is she new?", and Percy nodding and saying "Her name is Annabeth", and no more questions were asked. People even began to greet her too.

Then it's time to go to class, and she realizes she hasn't received any information about classes or her locker, or even met any kind of adult that would verify her existence here. But Percy continues on walking, and she hopes the school is okay with this. She thinks maybe Percy was this school's form of a welcoming committee. It was admittedly a very nice way to be transitioned into a new environment.

_Feeling apprehensive about your new surroundings? Here, look at this pretty boy. He's very nice, and represents all of us. See, you'll totally like it here._

But when Annabeth asked him, he scrunched up his eyebrows.

"Why would you think that?", he asked, looking confusedly down at her.

"Well, I kinda just assumed since…" she trails off, gesturing between them.

She then accidently gestures to his entire being, but he doesn't seem to get the significance. He actually seems to get ten times more confused, and lines in his forehead start to make an appearance.

"Annabeth", he starts, in a serious tone that she was not expecting. But she still likes how her name sounds when he says it.

"I'm showing you around, because I like you", he states so plainly and vulnerably that Annabeth is stunned into stagnancy.

And then his eyes widen, and he whips his head to look at her so fast, he almost trips.

"I-I- mean want to, I'm showing you around because I _want to_, oh my god", he corrects way too late.

And Annabeth really wants to laugh, but understands from her short time on this earth, that it would only embarrass him even further. But, _oh my god_... what a dork.

"Percy", she calls to the prone statue of a teenager with hands covering his face.

A smile breaks out across her face, even though she's trying desperately to keep it straight. She places her hand on his shoulder.

"It's f-ah! It's f-AHAHAHA!", she laughs uncontrollably, and has to support herself with the hand at his shoulder.

He peeks out from his hands to look at her, his face brilliantly crimson, and it gets her going harder.. He smiles, feeling the joy she radiates, and relishes witnessing her like this. She's leaning into him, her eyes tearing up as she looks up at the sky and blinks them away. Everytime she starts to catch her breath, she looks at him and thinks about it again, then sets off again. Her smile looks permanently glued onto her face, and her skin is as flushed as his was. He can't really find it within himself to be mad at her when she looks so beautiful. He feels this could prove to be a problem in the future. But for now, he just wants it to last forever, or for this moment to be etched into his mind for every time he will need it.

When she eventually calms down, shoulders only shaking now and again with wheezy giggles, her face is pressed into his chest. His arms have found their way around her, and she can't help herself from trying to burrow into him. And even though the last time she was kinda in this position with him, she was left sprawled out on the pavement, it feels familiar and safe. He is just so warm, and even with hard muscles against her, he is soft. He smells faintly like the ocean and those fruity body washes for little kids to use in bubble baths. He smells heavenly, and she decides right then that it's her favorite smell.

His chin comes to rest over her head without him really thinking about it. She smells like ink, lemons, and those expensive lady shampoos with thousands of words printed on them. He likes it, and likes her. He realizes he was wrong before, and would much rather have this moment etched into his brain.

"I like you too", she tells him once she's ready to come back to the real world again.

She pulls away just to see his face. And it is totally worth it. His smile is instant and radiant and so goddamn beautiful, and she realizes its the real reason all those kids needed to be here this morning. It should be the reason for everything.

"Well, alright then", was his only response.

And everything is so easy. And bright. Since when have colors been so beautiful and high school campuses so happy. Everything feels right in the world, and maybe everything could be, if Percy could be everywhere at once.

It's only slightly awkward as they continued through the school. She grabs his hand, and his ears turn pink. And at this point Annabeth knew she should be analyzing their interaction to death, trying to glean more information on their relationship. To get the definitive answers that she holds so dear. But it felt pretty clear. They liked each other, and it was as simple as that. Annabeth couldn't remember the last time feelings won over calculations.

She could get used to it.


	7. Chapter 7

Percy Jackson was absolutely positive that Annabeth Chase was the smartest student at Goode High.

Which is entirely unfair, since she literally just got there. She shouldn't even understand what the new teachers are saying, but she just does. She gets it so quick and easy that all Percy can do is watch in amazement.

And Percy is honestly trying his best not to exaggerate her good qualities and put her on a pedestal, but he's pretty sure she knows everything... like ever.

He actually only had AP Biology and History with her, but he'd seen more than enough.

Finishing off her first week of school in New York, Annabeth had answered nearly every question she heard and aced everything put in front of her big manic brain, and Percy's test scores had risen just from being in the sheer presence of it. At least that's what he thinks, and hopes he hadn't accidentally cheated off of her whilst basking in her magnificence.

The look on his mom's face when he had said something along those lines had been alarmingly sly. He knew that look, and knew that nothing good could come of it. He didn't want to hear what she had to say, so he ushered her into the kitchen to make celebratory cookies.

She then began to ask questions about Annabeth with more than one "So when am I gonna meet this girl?" thrown in. He was getting increasingly flustered as finally, the timer mercilessly signaled that the cookies were ready. They were blue of course, but he saw one that looked suspiciously like a heart. When he looked questioningly at his mom, she had innocently shrugged her shoulders and taken a bite out of it. She then drifted away humming something he couldn't identify. It didn't really hold his attention for long, since he then had the entire tray for himself.

Suffice to say, life was good.

Life wasn't going too well for Annabeth.

She was starting to get a little suspicious. Okay, she was downright wary. She had initially understood Percy wanting to spend the first few days getting her acquainted with the school and the inner workings, but she's sure they could have squeezed in time for her to get acquainted with Percy's friends. He had spent every single lunch of the week with her, alone. She had enjoyed it of course, he was great company. Plus Sally packs him the greatest lunches. But she just didn't get the point anymore. She had seen the amount of people who greet him every morning and didn't know why he would completely abandon them for her. He was practically ignoring the whole school. She knows he's not the type to completely ditch his friends for a new girlfr- girl.

Who is a friend.

A friend that is also a girl.

He'd only really introduced her to the guys on his water polo team on that first day because he needed to go to practice and he was her ride. Even then the guys just squinted at her, some asking how long she's known Percy. When she had self-consciously said a few days, they had nodded knowingly, and then continued looking searchingly at her. They all seemed to have the same question on their minds and she wasn't sure why they couldn't just outright ask.

So that had definitely creeped her out, but things had just kept on getting weirder.

By the end of the week some people were actively staring at her and whispering back and forth to each other. As if she couldn't tell when they immediately stopped talking when she gets too close. She had honestly been expecting all of it when she had first arrived, but didn't understand why it would start up so much later. She needed some answers. So when Percy met up with her for coffee that Saturday, she decided to get them.

"Why don't you ever hang out with your friends?" was how she decided to start.

Percy spilled a bit of his coffee as he spurted it back in his cup. Annabeth supposed she could have started a tad more light. And maybe less interrogation-esque. Oh well...

"I-uh I don't really umm… hang out? With anyone…" he says hesitantly, grimacing.

Annabeth hadn't prepared herself for such a response and ends up dumbly responding, "What?"

"I mean, yeah I go and eat with the team sometimes but uh… I…", he trails off, shrugging.

"So what did you do before, before I came, I mean", she asks, suspicious.

"Like at lunch?", he asks. She nods, lifting an eyebrow.

"Well I kind of just ate with Paul you know?", he says softly.

At her horrified face he backtracks, "Not like _everyday, _okay?" He licks his lips nervously and swallows harshly.

"Sometimes I sat with the team, or like some people I know. It's not like- it's not like I'm a… _social pariah _or something. I just... don't know anybody that well.", he scratches at the Styrofoam cup in anticipation as he searches her face.

She's shocked and confused to put it mildly. She's pretty sure blinking is her only working function at the moment. Out of every possible theory she had come up with, the truth was way out of her realm of probability. Out of all those people who practically kiss the ground he walks on, he doesn't call any of them his friends?

"Percy", she starts softly, "Do you have any _friends_?"

He looks down at the initials he had marked into the cup with his fingernails. _PJ_

"I mean… I _feel_ like I do, or did at least", he looks up slowly then back down again.

"But people just kind of… leave… after a while", he looks at her nervously without actually meeting her eyes.

And finally things start to make some sense for Annabeth. Because this begins to explain some of his rather concerning qualities. But she still doesn't quite get why this happens to Percy. He was… _Percy_.

So she grabs his hands and says the only thing she can.

"I'm not gonna leave", she tells him, the "you" being left unsaid. It felt way too dramatic… and romantic.

He didn't look too convinced but he still smiled brightly at her. It made her feel uneasy. Like he knows she means it... but doesn't believe it'll really work out.

So she lifts her head high and grabs his hand because Annabeth Chase does not placate. She tells the truth and always keeps her word.

And so they walk in silence for a while, drinking until their cups are empty. And when Percy pokes some holes into his cup to make a little face, she goes ahead and makes a better one. They leave the two cups standing on top of an overflowing trashcan. The two pseudo Styrofoam faces face out sporting their respective initials on the sides. One of them being noticeably more scarred than the other.


End file.
